


Devil's Catch

by boredomsMuse



Series: Devil's Game [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Demon games, Demonstuck, F/F, F/M, M/M, Part 2
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-07-27
Packaged: 2018-07-11 07:48:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7039153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boredomsMuse/pseuds/boredomsMuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the people you care about are in trouble would you do anything to help them?  Even if it means damning yourself?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Change of Players

**Author's Note:**

> I know I was going to post this after Allergy was finished but then shit got busy so I figured I'd stop making you wait.

You find them at the fair.

 

You don’t actually see them face to face, you’re simply walking past the fair’s photo booth when you spot the photo on the screen.  There they were.  Taller and changed but alive.  Your baby brother and his friends _alive_.

 

You want to see them but you don’t want to risk it now that your goal is suddenly achievable.  So instead you take the photo strip and you leave.  You don’t even bother going back to the booth you were helping out at, you simply leave.

 

You don’t remember the bus trip home, or unlocking the door.  You do remembering screaming your best friends and housemates names the second you enter the door though.

 

“Janey?”  A yawning Roxy asks as she walks into the entrance room from the lounge room.  You vaguely remember her sleeping on the couch when you’d left.

 

“Where is Jake?  And Dirk?”  You ask, talking too fast and loud. 

 

“Huh?  Dirky’s at some robotic thing and I don’t know where Jakey is.”  She yawns.  “I thought you were at the festival.”

 

“I was.  I was, but guess who else was there? Roxy they’re okay, they’re alive.”  You smile widely, suddenly realizing what you were saying.  Your brother is alive.  _Your brother is alive._ Roxy stares at you for a moment before her face breaks into a grin.

 

“You saw Rose?”  She asks and you nod, you pass her the photo strip and she races Rose’s face, smiling a little more.

 

“Where’s Jake?”  You ask, starting to look around the house.

 

“I really don’t know.”  Roxy calls back.  “Did you talk to her?”

 

“No, I didn’t want to risk it.  They ran away because of this, if they found out what we’re doing they’d probably stop us.”  You say.

 

“Right, Dirky said that at one point.”  Roxy said. 

 

“Yeah.”  You nod.  You can’t find Jake.  You finally think to call him shortly after. 

 

“Jane?”  Jake eventually answers.  He sounds like he’s in a bar again. 

 

“Jake, where are you?”  You frown.

 

“Nowhere.”  He hics.  You sigh.

 

“Well can you please come home?”  You ask.

 

“Can I not?”  Jake asks.

 

“Jake, it’s important, please come home.”  You mumble.  He doesn’t reply for a moment.  “Please Jake.”

 

“Okay.”  He eventually says and you hang up.

 

“Well that killed the mood.”  You sigh.

 

“Guess the fight was bad.”  Roxy mumbles.

 

“Yeah… he’s drinking almost as much as you used to lately.”  You run a hand through your hair.

 

“Let’s think of something else, okay?”  Roxy forces a smile.  “I’ll give Dirk a call, you set up a movie.”  You smile back.

 

“Sounds like a plan.” 

 

\--

 

Jake comes home a few hours later, and you think you see him smile for the first time when he sees the photo.

 

“Jade’s alive.  She looks happy even.  Jade’s alive.”  He grins. 

 

Dirk makes it home the first second he can, though it’s still not until around midnight that he gets in.  “Jane, tell me it’s true.”  He says when you open the door for him. 

 

“It is.”  You smile and show him the picture.  He stares at it a minute before wrapping his arms around you and pulling you into a tight hug.  You’re surprised for a moment, not used to Dirk doing this sort of thing.

 

“Thank you.”  He mumbles into your ear and you smile, hugging him back.  When you break apart you both head to the lounge room to meet with Roxy and Jake, the former of whom is helping the latter with his hang over. 

 

“We ready to do this?”  Dirk asks and the two look over, Jake quickly looks down before he meets Dirk’s eyes. 

 

“I already did all the artwork and the candles are set up.  We just need the doll and we can start.”  Roxy says.  Dirk takes a deep breath, pulling the doll from his bag.

 

“The protections up?”  He asks.

 

“Yes, Jake did them.”  You answer.  He doesn’t respond and Jake doesn’t say anything as the four of you make your way to a mostly empty room.  In the centre, drawn in white chalk, is a circle in a larger circle.  The inner circle has a symbol for the demon in it while the out circle is divided into 4, with each section has a different symbol, replicated from the video footage that Bro took of your siblings doing this.

 

Dirk drops the doll onto its spot on the symbol in the middle and you all take your spots before the symbol for your siblings.  You all lit a match in synch and light the candles.  You don’t need to do it in synch, in fact you don’t even need to watch the candles now but you do.

 

“Are we sure this is going to work?”  Jake speaks up after a while.

 

“Of course it’ll work.”  Dirk says.

 

“According to him it will.  We can’t trust him.”  Jake huffs, finally making eye contact with the blond, shotting him a glare.

 

“Calliope verified it.”  Roxy buts in.  “And I trust her.  Besides, what do we have to lose?”

 

“Our lives.”  Jake mumbles.

 

“Well, that’s what they have on the line too.”  You mumble and everyone goes quiet.

 

“They’ll be fine.”  Dirk eventually says.  “Once we do this they’ll be fine and safe.”  You sit down on the ground and stare as the blue candle burns.

 

You’d all agreed the second you saw the tape where they summoned the demon after Bro had died that you needed to find a way to save them.  When you’d met Caliborn and Calliope and they’d given you this option, to take the game from your siblings, you’d all been ready to do it then and there.  If it hadn’t been for the warning that some of them might already be dead you would have done it.  But you didn’t know if they were alive, or if you were just dooming yourself for no reason.

 

Now you know that they’re all alive though and so now you need to do this. 

 

You wake up when Dirk shakes you.  You don’t remember falling asleep.  The candles have all melted and cover the symbols previously written. 

 

“Time to write ours.”  Dirk says, taking a deep breath.  You nod, yawning.  Roxy’s walking up Jake.  Once you’re all awake you write your symbols on top of the melted wax.  You pick up the candle you’d left next to you, a little blue then your brothers.  You stand up and wait for the others to catch up to where you are before you all light the candles.  Dirk grabs the needle first and you all copying him, holding it in your spare had.  Dirk mouths ‘one, two, three’ and you start to chant.

 

_“Leave them, leave them, we are here,_  
To run and hide in our fear,  
For no longer them but we you’ll chase.  
Catch us, catch us, if you can,  
We’ll take their prize from you now,  
But with their prize we take their risk.  
Our souls will take their place.”

You prick your finger, with some skill, and let the blood drop into the flame and then you drop the candle, at the same time as everyone else does. 

 

The flames go out before the candles reach the floor.


	2. A Repeated Mistake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I find I really love messing around with the Alpha kids and I should do this more often.  
> Wish I gave Roxy more scene time in this though, but unfortunately I don't think I'm that great at writing her.

“Did it work?”  Jake asks.  You don’t look over, you stare at the doll and the symbol on the ground. 

 

In a second the doll vanishes and a boy is in his place.  The boy looks pissed and barely human with claws and fangs, both coated with blood.  His eyes glowing, his skin deathly pale.  He should be weaker for at least today though, a week at most if you’re lucky, with the energy it takes to reassign his connections to the last players to the new ones.

 

What kind of demon did your brother and his friends summon?

 

“How dare you!”  The boy screams, causing the lights to flicker and your friend’s eyes to snap back to the circle’s centre.  You hear Jane gasp, and Jake gulps.  “I was _so_ close to winning!  I’ll kill you all right now for this!”  He screams and one of the lights in the room bursts. 

 

“I’ll take that as it’s working.”  You say, taking a step away from the circle.  The demon’s eyes focus on you.

 

“ _Strider_.”  He growls the word in a way that almost sounds possessive.  Even you can’t help but gulp.  “Dirk Strider, right?  The perfect other brother that didn’t need to sell his soul like the rest of them.”  He says, his tone a mix of mockery and malice.  “Wonder what they’d think knowing you followed the family tradition.”  He smirks slightly and then within seconds you feel claws digging into your chest.  You grunt, shutting your eyes tight and trying to ignore the pain.  “ _Who_ _told_ _you_?!”  He demands, growling, the amusement and mockery gone from his voice leaving only more malice and anger in it’s place.

 

“None of your business.”  You glare back into glowing blue eyes.  The demon hisses and his claws come out of your chest when Roxy throws salt at him.

 

“And the older _Lalonde_.”  He spits the name, like it leaves a bad taste in his mouth, and spits at her, carefully brushing grains of salt off of him.  “I should have known.”  The room goes completely black as the rest of the lightbulbs burst.  You hear Jake whimper and you think someone backs against the wall.  Roxy lets out a shout and you turn, trying to spot her.  You can’t see her, it’s too dark.

 

And then there’s a tiny prick of light that goes on to your side and you turn to see Jane, just barely, by the light of her candle.  You should have done this in a room with windows.  You see a fanged, too big grin, blow the candle out and you rush to Jane when you hear her scream.  You hear a _thunk_ and you’re suddenly very nervous.

 

There’s a flash and you here the demon snarl.  You try to blink away the colourless brightness caused by the flash.  While you do you register steps being taken and then, as your sight returns, you notice the light of the hall pouring into the room as Roxy opens the door.  She’s panting, there’s a hand of claw marks making a gash on her shoulder and completely shredding the arm of her shirt.

 

Your eyes begin to adjust and you notice movement as Jane sits up, groaning and rubbing her head.  She must have tripped, or been tripped, and that must have made the noise.  There’s an ugly, painful looing bit mark a little bit above her waist but she’s over wise alright.

 

Jake stands, panting, with his hand pressed against a runed section of the wall.  A symbol to make any demon, no matter how powerful, leave and stay gone, at least for a while.  Jake’s hand is covered in blood, no doubt to activate it, but over wise he’s unscathed.

 

“Caliborn wasn’t lying then.”  You comment.  “Someone write this down, it’s a miracle.” 

 

“You guys know what this means right?”  Roxy’s smiling, _smiling_ , despite the situation. 

 

“That we have a blood thirsty demon after us?”  Jane offered, inspecting her injury.  You kneel down to help.

 

“That we did!  Our siblings are safe!”  She says and you all freeze.  In all that chaos you hadn’t even thought of that yet.  You can’t help the smile that graces your lips, you don’t think Jane can help the ear to ear grin she breaks out into.

 

“Just in time too.”  You say.  “Now we just need to find them.”

 

“I bet they’ll find us.”  Roxy smiles.  “They’re smart kids.”

 

“You’ve got a point there.”  You hum and stand.  The group of you move into the living room where it’s bright, light shining from the windows and from the lights.

 

“How’d he know you two?”  Jake eventually asks.  You notice he’s not looking after the injury on his hand.  You notice there’s glass in his hand.  Jake hurt himself to save the three of you.  You look over to Roxy who shrugs.  You take a deep breath, you guess you should tell them.  There’s no point keeping secrets.

 

“Most of my family made a deal with a demon at some point.”  You sigh.  “Cal, and now that I think about it the demon looks a lot alike to what they described.”

 

“Why’d you’re brothers make deals?  If you don’t mind me asking that is.”  Jane asks, you rub the back of your neck. 

 

“D wanted people to look at his movies.  He became famous on his own merit, but before that no one would look at the stuff he made and the potential he had.  Since Bro hadn’t started the Smuppet business yet, D was our main supporter he got desperate I guess.”  You retell the story Bro told you when you were older enough to realize Dave wasn’t ‘normal’.  “On Bro’s side of the story he was trying to save Dave.  Dave was born sick and basically on the verge of the death so he summoned Cal, and Dave apparently summoned Cal to play this game.”

 

“And you didn’t tell us this before?”  Jake frowns.

 

“I didn’t know that it was Cal that we’d be summoning.”  You shrugged.

 

“What about you Roxy?”  Jane asks, deciding it would be better to move the conversation from you before Jake can start an argument. 

 

“Oh my family is just _super_ interested in dark magic and demons and stuff.”  Roxy shrugs.

 

“I suppose I should have guessed that.”  Jane laughs lightly.

 

“Well, now that that’s outta the way.”  Roxy hums.  “What are we going to do?”  All of them are looking at you.  You should know what to do next, you always plan for everything.  Except you really don’t.  You’d considered it might be Cal so you’d searched the internet and asked Caliborn but came up with nothing useful.  Now you were almost certain it was Cal and you had nothing.

 

They’re all looking at you, like you’re meant to have the answers.  Even Jake’s looking at you like you’re meant to have the answers, and he pretty much hates you these days.  You can’t just let them down by admitting you have no idea what the hell you’re meant to do, that you don’t even know why Cal was able to attack you during the day.

 

“We need to make it so that he can’t get in once he recovers from what Jake did.”  You say, sounding confident as always. 

 

“Alright, Janey and I can work on that you should help Jakey with his hand.”  Roxy announces and you frown.  You thought she gave up trying to ‘fix’ your friendship with Jake.

 

“What about Jane’s bite?”  Jake asks before you can. 

 

“I’ll be fine, I can still write.”  Jane smiles.

 

“But I’m completely fine, I can help set up the house.”  You frown.  Jane frowns back.

 

“Dirk, I don’t consider your chest perfectly fine.”  She states, pointing at what is practically holes in your chest from when Cal dug his claws in.  You’d completely forgot about that, now that you’ve remembered however the pain strikes and you grimace.

 

“I’m fine, you two are hurt worse.”  You frown. 

 

“Dirk just look after Jakey will you.”  Roxy huffs.  She takes Jane’s hand and the girls leave the room.  You and Jake sit in silence for a moment before you hear him wince, you look over and see him pulling glass from his hand.  You sigh and take his hand from him.

 

“Hey-“ He starts to protest before wincing when you carefully pull out another piece of glass.

 

“You’re shaking too much.”  You say, as though it’s an explanation.  “You’ll make them worse.”  You add to nail the point home, but you both know you’re lying.  Jake’s dealt with his own injuries all his life, he’s got enough practice to not be shaking.  You sit in awkward silence as you start to pull out each of the pieces of the glass, once it’s finally done you stand up and get the first aid kit, getting out antibacterial spray and bandages.

 

“This’ll hurt.”  You warn.  Jake doesn’t reply and you start.  You’re about half way through when you hear sniffling.  You look over and find Jake crying, trying to keep quiet.  You don’t know what to do.  “Jake?”  You ask, trying not to let the worry and concern seep into your voice.

 

“We could’ve died.”  He mumbles.  “We could’ve died just now, and we would’ve died hating each other and I don’t want that.”  He sniffles.  “I don’t want to hate you Dirk, but I know you hate me so I just, I just thought I’d play along.” 

 

“Jake…”  You’re not good with heart to hearts, with non-logical communication.  “I don’t hate you.”  You say.  “And we didn’t die.  Jake you saved our lives.”  You really could have died, you realize.  The demon was definitely planning on killing all four of you.  Jake shakes his head.

 

“You’re the one that told us to put the symbols up, I just used it.”  He mumbles.  “I just… all I could hear was screaming and laughter and I thought everyone might already be dead.”  He sniffles.  “I was so bloody scared.”  Suddenly he’s pressing himself against your chest and sobbing into your shirt.  It hurts the claw marks on your chest but you don’t push him away.  “I don’t want to die hating you.”  He sobs. 

 

“I don’t either.”  You admit.  “So how about we go back to being friends, okay?”  Is that the right thing to say?  Jake sniffle and looks up at you from where he’s positioned his head on your chest.

 

“Can we?”  He sniffles.  You wipe away a couple tears.

 

“Yeah, I’d like it if we did.”  You nod.  You really don’t know if you’re doing this right.

 

“Thank you.”  He smiles up at you and you think that means you’re doing this right. 

 

“Mind if I bandage your hand now?”  You ask.  He wipes his eyes with his arm and nods, giving you his bloodied hand.  You fall into silence again and you don’t think it’s as awkward as before.  You finish bandaging his hand and you think about how much you and Jake changed.  You were best friends last time you saw your brother, you were boyfriends after, then you were enemies, and now you think you’re friends again.  So much has happened and changed and you can only imagine how different Dave is now, how different they all are.  The thought makes you nervous.

 

You just hope they all know they’re safe now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter is also called 'Adorable dorks having a near death experience'


	3. A Happy Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also titled: All the Betas still feel guilty

3 days.  You get 3 days relief to find out how many rules have changed from Caliborn and Calliope before you hear knocking on the door.

 

“Jake?  Jake open up.”  Jade’s voice calls and you sprint to the door.

 

“Jade?  Oh my god Jade!”  You were grinning ear to ear as your hand reached the handle.  Dirk had sprinted, or flashstepped whatever he called it, and pulled your hand away.

 

“Don’t be an idiot Jake, that’s not Jade.”  There’s a bit more cruelty in the word then you think he meant to, old habits of not being nice to each other you suppose.  Dirk takes a deep breath.  “Sorry.”  He mumbles.  “Jade wouldn’t know where we are, it’s not Jade.”  He tells you.

 

“You mean…?”  You don’t finish the sentence, just gulp as Dirk nods.

 

“Aw, you’re no fun.”  You hear the demons voice.  There’s a laughter in his tone, and cruelty.  The knocking starts up again.

 

It doesn’t stop for 2 whole days.  A constant, loud knocking that echoes everywhere in the house.  Sometimes the demon whines like a little boy, sometimes he screams and shouts like the demon he is, sometimes he steals the voices of your siblings.  Too many times he tells you things he claims he did to them.  At some point he tells you all about the multiple times he’s killed Dave, and Jane had to take Dirk’s clenched fists to try to keep him calm.

 

He changes his appearance as well, sometimes he’s the boy demon, sometimes he’s covered in blood; sometimes he looks like your siblings.  Sometimes the neighbours can see him and they glare at the four of you through the windows.

 

Then, at some point on the 3rd day of his relentless knocking, it just stops.  Everything goes quiet.

 

“What’s happening?”  You ask, worriedly, your eyes darting around everywhere.

 

“I don’t know.”  Jane admits.

 

“Could the protections be failing?”  Dirk asks.

 

“Maybe… I mean they shouldn’t be but we haven’t been able to go out and check and redo ‘em.”  Roxy frowns, she pulls up her phone and begins to message someone.  You assume she’s messaging Calliope.  “And even if they are, he can’t enter the house without one of us opening the door, that rule hasn’t changed.”  She adds.

 

“How can we be so sure it didn’t change just now?”  You mumble, not quite wrapping your head around this whole rule changing thing just yet.  Before anyone can answer there’s a knock at the door and you jump.

 

“Hello?”  Dave’s voice is the one that calls and you see Dirk tense up.

 

“Quite the poetry Dave, I believe it masterfully summed up everything.”  This time you hear Rose and you frown.  The demons never done this before. 

 

“We could just try the door handle.”  Jade.  That’s Jade’s voice.  You hear yourself whimper.  You can’t deal with these illusions anymore.

 

“Why would they have the door unlock- oh my god they left the door unlocked.”  Dave says and you tense as, half way through, you hear the door open.

 

“You said the demon couldn’t enter without permission, locked or unlocked door.”  You mumble.  You’re shaking, quite badly.  Jane is biting her lip while Roxy and Dirk frown deeply. 

 

“He can’t.”  Rose’s voice, from behind you.  You all turn and you here Roxy gasp.  Standing in the arch entry to your living room is the 4 of them.  All alive, bandaged and worse for wear but alive.

 

Jade’s standing next to Rose with dogs by her side and a grin on her face.  John’s standing nervously, looking at the ground.  Dave’s looking everywhere but Dirk and shaking a touch.  Rose stands smiling at you all.

 

“How’d you find us?”  Dirk asks, colder than you think he should. 

 

“I have a friend who told us.”  Rose answers, unfazed.

 

“Yeah, let’s talk about this friend you have and how you totally lied about not having a deep and meaningful connection to Karkat.”  Dave says, the nerves in his tone remind you of the ones in Dirks when things get bad.

 

“Technically I have a deep and meaningful connection to Karkat’s best friend, not Karkat.”  Rose hums.

 

“Can lesbians even get deep?”  Dave comments.

 

“Your terrible defences will not help you avoid Dirk forever and I highly doubt you want them to so let’s end this game of wits, shall we?”  Rose eyes Dave and a second passes.  Whatever was keeping your feet rooted vanishes and you find your arms wrapped around your sister in seconds.

 

“Jade.”  You breathe.  “I was so scared you were dead.”  You don’t manage to hold back a sob and she rolls her eyes and hugs you back tightly. 

 

When you pull about you see John and Jane smiling a little at each other before they hug as well, and Roxy is holding Rose as tightly as she can.

 

Dave is hiding a little behind John and Dirk is standing awkwardly.  You know they love each other, missed each other, feared and worried and cried for each other, but you also know their Striders.  You share a look with Jade and nod before you both walk over and push the two towards each other.  Dirk lowers his shades to glare at you and you return the glare with a smile and two thumbs up.  It takes him by surprise, you think, that he realizes then you weren’t doing this out of anger. 

 

“H-hey Dirk.”  Dave stutters and you see the younger blond flinch.  Dirk hesitates and you almost push him again before he’s finally, _finally_ , wrapping his arms around Dave.  It’s more of an awkward side hug than a real hug, and Dirk’s looking the other way, but it counts.

 

“You’re an idiot Dave, I was so fucking worried about you.  I’m so glad you’re alive.”  Dirk breaths. 

 

“I’m an idiot?  Roses girlfriend said you guys started playing instead of us.”  Dave huffed back.

 

“Rosey has a girlfriend?”  Roxy asked, surprised and excited.

 

“Yes.  But that’s not why we’re here.  We’re here because we plan to help you get rid of Cal once and for all.”  Rose hums, she’s blushing a little.

 

“We can do this, you guys don’t need to help.”  Dirk frowns. 

 

“Yeah, we did this so that you four could be safe.  We don’t want you getting messed up in all this again.”  You add.

 

“And we left home cause we didn’t want anything bad to happen to you guys, look how well that worked out for us.”  Dave comments.

 

“So we’re helping.”  Jade happily adds.

 

“We learnt a way to win.”  John says, it’s the first thing he’s said since they arrived.  “But it’ll involve some strangers ending up planning.”

 

“How’d you learn that?”  Jane asks.  The four hesitate to reply.  Rose and Jade look to each other nervously.  John takes Dave’s hand and you think he gives it a squeeze.  Dirk raises an eyebrow and the rest of you elder siblings frown. 

 

“A demon.”  Dave eventually answers, speaking fast.  “But the point is that we can’t, because it causes someone else to deal with it.”  He adds.

 

“Oh!  We know a demon too!  Her name’s Calliope!”  Roxy buts in excitedly. 

 

“Technically we know two.”  Dirk adds and you groan.

 

“Let’s not talk about that guy.”  You huff.

 

“So do we!”  Jade smiles.  “Kanaya is Rose’s girlfriend.”

 

“Rosie’s dating a demon?”  Roxy smiles.

 

“Can we get to the part about getting rid of the demon please?” Dave sighs. 

 

“Dave, calm down.”  Rose sighs.

 

“Calliope says we’ll need to trap him.”  Roxy says.  “Though we’re not sure how yet.”

 

“You guys started this game _before_ figuring out to trap him?”   Dave frowns.

 

“You started this game in the first place.”  Dirk counters and Dave falters.

 

“It was my fault.”  John mumbles.  “My fault that all of this happened.”

 

“Nop.”  Roxy smiles and the younger frowns up at her.

 

“What?”

 

“It’s not your fault.  You played a prank, it’s what we do.”  Jane smiled.

 

“But Dad went missing, and Dave’s Bro d-“  John choked on his words.

 

“John, it’s not your fault.”  You tell him.

 

“We all played a part in this.”  Rose sighs.

 

“Nop.”  Roxy hummed, causing her sister to frown.

 

“We decided this a long time ago.”  Dirk says.  “It’s no ones fault.”

 

“But-“  John starts. 

 

“Nop.”  Roxy grins.

 

“ _Guys_ , we have an issue here!”  Dave shouts.

 

“Dave.”  John frowns.

 

“What happened?”  Jane asks. 

 

“It’s nothing, just, I want to get rid of that asshole.”  Dave growled.

 

“Aw Davey, you mad about Karkles?”  You jump when you hear the demons voice from the other side of the door. 

 

“Tomorrow.”  Roxy says.  “We’re going to see Calliope.  Maybe she’ll know what to do.”   The knocking starts again.

 

“I’m go see Caliborn.”  Dirk sighs.

 

“I’ll go with you.”  You tell Dirk.

 

“Let me in!”  You hear a voice you don’t recognize but one that makes Dave tense. 

 

“This mean we’re going to find a way to get rid of him?”  Dave asks through clenched teeth.

 

“Yes.”  Dirk answers.

 

“Good.”  Dave huffs.

 

“How do we plan on leaving if he’s there?”  Jane asks, gesturing to the door.

 

“We’ve got that covered.”  Jade grins.  Barking sounds from outside, as does growling, and the knocking stops.

 

“You really should have called them when Cal attacked us.”  John comments.

 

“He would have killed them.”  Jade huffs.  “Now he can’t touch them because he can’t touch us.” 

 

“You were attacked?”  Jane frets.

 

“He can’t touch you?”  Dirk inquires.

 

“No, it’s a condition of the fact you changed the fact that you’ve taken our game.  He can’t touch us.”  Rose nods.  “Kanaya tells me he’s not very happy with it.”

 

“It won’t keep him gone for long, but I have two hell hounds so we should be okay.”  Jade smiles.

 

“Alright it’s settled then, tomorrow we try to learn a way to get rid of Cal.”  Dirk nods.

 

You spend the night catching up with Jade.


	4. A Barginned Heart

In the morning Jade’s dogs chase Cal away and the group of you spilt up.  You decide its best to keep families together, although you notice John and Dave are reluctant to part.  They do though and you, Janey, Rosey, and Johnny begin the walk to Calliope’s apartment with the white hellhound, PM you think she’s called, walking by Janey’s side.

 

“So Johnny, what’s the dealio with you and Davey?”  You ask as you walk, your eyes on everything and everyone.  The boy stutters and chokes in response.  “You two still crushing on each other or are you finally datin’?”

 

“He uh, he was with someone else until recently.” Johnny eventually mumbles his response.  You’re glad he still knows he can’t get out of answering questions with you.

 

“Oh?”  You ask, grinning.  Rosey sighs and you turn your attention to her.

 

“They were not quite together.  Unfortunately there is little chance we’ll see him again.”  She explains.

 

“Karkat.”  Jane says before the pieces fall into place in your head.

 

“Yeah.”  John sighs.  You’re all quiet for a good moment.

 

“To answer your question however,”  Rose eventually adds.  “Dave told John he kissed Karkat because he saw John kissing someone at the fair and Dave wanted to kiss the crush he knew would kiss him back and John told him he’d have kissed Dave back so Dave kissed him.  David is very emotional, you see, and apparently requires his heart to be broken to kiss somebody he likes.” 

 

“You weren’t supposed to know about that.”  John mumbles, face red.

 

“He’s not toying with your emotions, is he?”  Jane frowns, her nose scrunching up at the thought of anything distasteful.

 

“No, I promise he’s not.”  John quickly says.  “He likes me, he just also likes Karkat.”  The boy sighs.  “I don’t even think we’re dating though.  I don’t think Dave really wants to take that step yet.  The last time he almost took that step we all almost died so, you know.” 

 

“What are your thoughts on this ‘Karkat’?”  You ask.

 

“What does it matter?”  He mumbles in response.  “Karkat’s gone Roxy.  Vanished.  Poof.  Kanaya says we don’t want to know where he is it’s that bad.  So what does it matter if I also kinda liked him?  We’ve never going to see him again.”  Jane rubs his back comfortingly and you decide to drop the topic.

 

You arrive at Calliopes apartment soon anyway, and the five of you take the elevator to her floor.

 

“You guys are gonna love Callie.”  You tell them, smiling, when you reach her door.  PM is growling behind you and you’re glad you got there when you did.  You knock.

 

“Coming!”  The response is instant and she soon opens the door for the group of you.  “Roxy!”  She smiles and hugs you tightly, you grin and hug her back.

 

“Hey Callie.”  You greet.  “Meet Rosey and Johnny.”  You gesture to your sister and your best friend’s brother.  Rose smiles, John waves a little awkwardly.

 

“It’s wonderful to meet you both.”  She’s smiling but you know she’s nervous.  “I’ve heard so much about you.”

 

“Hello Calliope.”  Jane greets.

 

“Good morning Jane.”  Callie lets you all in and you lead the group towards her bench were she’s set up tea bags and coffee.  You’d told her you were coming over text yesterday.  PM stays by the door, growling.  You make a cup of green tea, Janey akes a cup of coffee and adds 5 sugars and milk making her brother, who has his without any, cringe, Rose makes a cup of black tea.

 

“Roxy, you know it’s risking for you to be outside.”  Callie fusses once you all have drinks.  “I can see you have a hellhound but that won’t stop him forever.”

 

“I know Callie, but we came to you looking for a way to stop him.”  You tell her.

 

“You could have called.”  Callie sighs.

 

“But what if you have things we need?  Also I’ve been missing you!”  You defend, smiling.  Callie blushes and smiles.

 

“Well, I suppose in that case I will let it slide.  As long as you make it home safely.”  She mumbles.

 

“Of course!”  You grin.

 

“So you, wanted to know how to stop him?”  Callie asks.

 

“Permanently.”  Jane clarifies.

 

“You can’t kill him.”  Callie sighs.  “He’s much too powerful and he wouldn’t stay dead.”  You deflate hearing her say that.  “But,” You perk up.  “You might be able to trap him.”

 

“How?”  John asks.

 

“Well…”  Callie hesitates.  “Demons can be cursed and held inside items if you know how to trap him, and if you leave him somewhere no one will be able to break it then he would be able to go after you.”

 

“Do you know how we do that?”  Rose asks and Callie shakes her head. 

 

“The items you can use are always different depending on the type of demon you’re trapping.”  She sighs.  “Cal is a Time demon, that’s my brothers type not mine.” 

 

“That’s alright!  Dirk’s talking to Caliborn right now!”  You say cheerfully, though Jane and Calliope give you looks that you think mean they aren’t as optimistic as you are about that.  “Is there anything universal we’ll need?”

 

“A vessel, a chant, and a way to trick him into going into the doll so that you can trap him.”  Callie explains and you nod, making a mental note of every item.

 

“In that case, how’ve you been Callie?”

 

* * *

 

“We should have left earlier.”  John stresses as he speed walks towards your shared house again.

 

“John, there’s no point in worrying about that anymore.”  Rose says, watching him.  PM is growling from her spot next to Jane. 

 

“Still.”  He sighs.  “Callie was nice.”  He comments.

 

“She’s wonderful.”  Roxy grins.

 

“Roxy, you’re slightly bias on that.”  Jane giggles.  It’s nice, this moment.  There’s no worry, even with an angry demon no doubt just out of sight behind you.  You’re just on a nice walk with people you care about.

 

And then PM barks and runs off.

 

“PM?”  Jane frowns as the hell hound vanishes into the vanishing light.

 

You hear giggling.

 

John gulps.

 

“Jade really shouldn’t’ve given you the bad one.”  Cal chuckles.  “She’s so distractible.”  You step between the voice and your friends and family as the little boy takes form.  It’s suddenly a lot darker than it a moment ago.  “I’m done playing games with you 8.  I’m going to kill you all.”  He’s grinning.

 

“You can’t touch John and Rose.”  Jane says; voice firm and sure. 

 

“I can kill you in front of them through.”  He laughs and it makes you gulp.  You take Jane’s hand and pull her away when a black tendril goes after her.  John grabs your hand and he starts running.  Cal follows. 

 

You hear Jane wince as she runs behind you; you turn back and watch her step on a tendril that had wrapped around her ankle.  “Shit.”  She mutters.  They’re catching up and you don’t have much time.  You take a deep breath and pull John and Jane as close to you as possible, the tendrils draw back, you shut your eyes and focus, the tendrils strike. 

 

They go right through you all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't going to leave this at the a cliffhanger, but then I did.


	5. A Haunted Mirror

Jade and Jake walk behind you enough, and talk loud enough, that you can basically have a private conversation with Dave without any worry they’ll hear.  That would help you so much if you had any idea what to say to your long lost brother.

 

“So… what’s going on with you and John?”  That is an awful starter Dirk, why are you even trying?  You can’t do conversation, you know that, everyone knows that, and the way Dave tenses at the conversation makes you sure it was the wrong thing to say.

 

“Nothing… just…”  He sighs.  “I’ve been having a rough time since that fucker stopped hunting us and he’s been helping me, I guess.”   He rubs his arm, not meeting your eyes but looking at the ground on the other side of him to you.  He looks like he did the first time he justified a bruise he’d gotten from Bro, something you remember clear as day but you hope Dave forgot.  He looks like something bad happened and he’s blaming himself and he doesn’t think he can ask for help.

 

“What happened?”  You ask, frowning slightly and your eyes trained on his face.  He bites his bottom lip lightly.  “Dave, whatever it is you can tell me.  I won’t be mad at you, cross my heart with my pinkie..”  His eyes flick to you at the silly little rhyme.  It was something Roxy made up when you and her were younger and Dave had decided he wanted in.  You hadn’t been happy about it at first, but Roxy was, and as you all got older it just sort of stuck as the ultimate promise.  Dave takes a deep breath.

 

“We lost someone.”  He says.  “I made a deal with him a while ago, if he’d help us win he could stay out of Hell.  Then I found out that, before all that, he’d made a deal with Cal.  If he killed John he could be human again and go home.  I was fucking pissed.  I was so pissed I didn’t even want to look at him.  Then, in the same moment you switched places with us, he vanished.  I overheard Kanaya telling Rose he’s back in hell and a demon now but, because he’d protected us and tried to help us, he was still being tortured.”  He’s looking at the ground and you’re sure he has tears in his eyes.  “There was so much bullshit going on and now he’s gone and I can’t even apologize for being such an asshole.  I knew he didn’t want to hurt us or go through with his deal with Cal, he said so, but I just didn’t care.”  His hands at clenched at his sides.

 

“It’s not your fault Dave.”  You tell him.  “You were upset, I’m sure he doesn’t hate you for it.”

 

“That’s the worst part.”  Dave sniffles.  “He should be upset, he should _hate_ me, but I really don’t think he does.”  You wrap an arm around his shoulders and he leans against you.  You notice there’s a serious lack of Harley-English talking.  You turn your head and notice them very purposely acting like the ground or sky or something on the other end of the street is just _so_ interesting.  You don’t call them out on it.

 

“We’ll find a way to get him back Dave, I promise.”  You tell him as he calms down without many even being able to tell he was breaking down. 

 

* * *

 

The church you go to should probably be condemned, though it’s basically turning itself to rubble anyway.  Jade and Dave both seem confused as you and Jake stroll in like there’s nothing strange or unusual about the situation.  They follow you to the back and down the steps to the basement.

 

“Uh, Dirk, what the fuck?”  Dave asks, recovered from your heart to heart enough to look as though he was never upset.  You think he needed it more than he was letting on. 

 

“It’ll make sense in a sec.”  You say. You open the door at the bottom of the stairs.  Inside sits a mirror, surrounded by a circle with candles that won’t ever go out, symbols that you make sure not to touch, and a salt ring.

 

“Nop, not making sense.”  Dave comments.  You roll your eyes and step into the circle.  Jake stands outside it with Jade and Dave, frowning and glaring at the mirror. 

 

“Sup.”  You talk into the reflection of yourself and knock on the mirror.  Nothing happens.  Dave and Jade look at each other with a ‘what the fuck’ expression.  You just roll your eyes and raise your eyebrow at the reflection.

 

It ripples.  You wait.

 

It’s another few seconds before the demon inside the mirror appears.  You make sure to look as bored as possible as you wait.

 

“Hello Dirk.”  He’s almost shouting, pale lips and sharp teeth curled into a smirk.  His arms are crossed, claws exposed, and he looks like he almost wants to bite you.  You reckon he would if he could touch your shoulder without his face trying completely red.  “To what do I owe the pleasure?”  His lips curl around the word ‘pleasure’ like it’s a joke.

 

“Wow, a 2 syllable word, good job.”  You mock and he scrawls.

 

“You’re here for my help, I wouldn’t start mocking me if I were you.”  He growls.  Another insult is on the tip of your tongue but you don’t let it slip.

 

“We summoned Cal.”  You tell him straight up.  “You said once we did you’d tell me how to get rid of him.”

 

“You can’t.”  He smirks.

 

“There’s got to be something.”  You roll your eyes, keeping your calm. 

 

“Step into the mirror and I might tell you.”  He offers, smirk widening slightly.  You’re not surprised, in the least.

 

“No.”  Jake frowns from outside the circle and Caliborn’s smile drops into a scrawl, his eyes looking past you to your company.

 

“Oh great you made up with him.”  He growls.  “Are those your siblings.  She’s ugly.”  He claims before smirking at Dave.  “You didn’t tell me your brother was half _time_ demon.” 

 

“How can you tell that?”  Dave frowns and you almost groan at the inhumane grin on Caliborn’s face.

 

“Because I’m your Lord.  Lord Caliborn of the time demons.”  He gloats.

 

“Then why are you in a mirror?”  You almost grin at your brothers response, and at the fact he doesn’t flinch at the glare he gets in response.

 

“Just because my sister trapped me here so she could have our body doesn’t mean I’m not a Lord.”  He snaps.  “You should all be grovelling at my feet, begging for my help, not attempting to insult me.”  He has such an ego.

 

“I’ll step into the mirror.”  You tell him.

 

“Dirk, don’t.”  Jake protests. 

 

“It’ll be fine Jake, you guys just stay out here and try to stay safe.  Give me an hour.”  You tell him over your shoulder before you step into the mirror and the reflection vanishes.

 

The other side of the mirror is small, simply a reflected version of the room on the other side without the salt, candles, and symbols.  The rest is reversed and makes up the room Calliope condemned her brother to so that they wouldn’t have to fight to the death, a fight you know Calliope would have won despite the claims of both siblings.  There are a few things that have been placed in the mirror, by you or her, that don’t appear outside of it.  A handful of books you doubt he reads, a few sketch books you’ve left here, a couch from Calliope, a deck of cards from Calliope, a Gameboy that he stole from you years back.  You wouldn’t quite say you considered Caliborn a friend, but you certainly didn’t see how the demon could be this massive evil everyone else claimed.  He just seemed like a spoilt brat in time out to you.

 

“What is it that you’re wanting this time UU?”  You ask, leaning causally against a mirrored wall.

 

“I want the secret of getting out of here.”  It’s never a request with him, always a demand.  It reminds you of a toddler stomping their foot and demanding a cookie.

 

“Something else.”  You, in turn, demand.

 

“You’re asking me to tell you how to trap Cal.”  He says.  “Cal, whose my old teacher and my best servant.”

 

“He hasn’t come to save you, has he?”  You leave out the fact that Cal can’t actually save the Lord of Time.  He could enter this room and walk right through the mirror without knowing it.  A powerful enchantment from the lady of the Void demons or something like that that prevented it.  Cal scrawls, pouts really, and you walk over to him.  You hook your fingers under his chin and force him to look up into your eyes, past your shades.  “Tell me, please Caliborn.”  You ask softly.  His face turns bright, bright red and he takes a moment to jump out of your hold.

 

“That was positively lude!”  He screeches.  When you were a younger, more hormonal teen you thought it was kinda cute and only mostly amusing.  Now it’s just amusing to watch him react.  You don’t speak, just turn back to him and wait.  “I’ll tell you what to do if you draw me some more pictures!”  He eventually says, speaking too loud and too quickly.

 

“Alright.”  You sit down and draw what he asks until you hear a knock on the mirror.  Caliborn doesn’t say anything, just staring at the ‘sexual’ pictures you drew him before eventually huffing.

 

“Summon Cal into a sealed circle and get your brother to start a time loop, trap him in whatever doll you summoned and then get your brother to contain the time loop in it.  Cal’ll be trapped in the moment you trapped him forever.  Everyone knows that, honestly, you all idiots.”  He sounds like a pouting 2 year old.  You give him a nod and then hear the knock again.  Jake pulls you out of the mirror with ease and instantly starts scolding you for what you did.

 

“Come on, let’s get back to the others, I know what to do.”  The whole way back Jade’s hellhound is silent, you won’t admit that it makes you a little nervous.


End file.
